Sugar is a very misunderstood food. It tastes good, makes you feel good, and gives you the energy and motivation to do good, so what’s not to love, right? We’re exposed to sugary treats almost everywhere—especially during the holidays. Sugar isn’t your enemy, but before you jump on the holiday dessert train, here are a few things you should know about how sugar impacts your mind, body, and emotions.
Sugar is a Highly Addictive Substance
Did your parents ever give you candy as a reward when you were a child? There’s more to that on a biological level than you or your parents probably knew. Research shows that sugar is more addictive than cocaine and acts like a drug in the body. Sugar and other highly-addictive drugs (legal and illegal) trigger reward centers in the brain on a biochemical level that make you feel good when you consume them. Your body knows that when you consume sugar it will feel good (thank you, serotonin): as such, the body keeps craving more. The more sugar you eat, the more intense this addictive cycle gets with quite a few unexpected consequences.Sugar, Mood, and Willpower
Because sugar is so addicting, it has a direct negative correlation to willpower and your ability to make good decisions. This is amplified by the prolonged effect sugar has on mood. In the short term, sugar makes you feel happy and elevated, but it then causes a rollercoaster of up-and-down emotions including irritability, impulsive behaviors, anger, anxiety, and even an increased risk for depression.This culminates in the inevitable “sugar crash” that leaves you craving more.
